India, Aug. 26 -- Ever taken a few sips of your morning green tea and suddenly felt the urge to run to the loo? If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. For some people, a morning cup of green tea seems to get digestion moving almost immediately, leading many to wonder whether it works like a natural laxative. But the answer is a little more complex, and the effect has less to do with the tea itself than with how it interacts with your digestive system.

Dr Joseph Salhab, a Florida-based gastroenterologist and health content creator who specialises in digestive, liver, pancreatic, and nutritional health, is breaking down whether green tea can act as a laxative and stimulate bowel movements. In an Instagram video shared on August 21, the...